ETX jailer charged with deadly conduct suspended from position at jail

Owens was arrested Friday. According to the arrest affidavit, Owens assaulted a man on Christmas night, hitting him in the back and neck and pointing a semi-automatic pistol at him.

Texas Rangers say as many as two shots may have been fired during the incident, but the man was not hit.

Owens is out of jail tonight on bond. He has been suspended from his duties at the Smith County Jail.

From Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith:

On Friday, January 4, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. Brandon J. Owens, a Smith County Sheriff's Office Jail Corporal, was arrested on two felony counts. One count of Aggravated Assault (a second degree felony) and one count of Deadly Conduct (a third degree felony). The warrants were issued earlier this afternoon by 241st State District Judge Jack Skeen, Jr.. Judge Skeen has set bond in the amount of $350,000 for the Aggravated Assault count and $150,000 for the Deadly Conduct count.

The allegation of these offenses that occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. Christmas morning December 25, 2012. These offenses occurred during Owens' off duty hours and are not related to his employment with the Smith County Sheriff's Office.

Upon receiving the information relating to this investigation and upon Sheriff Larry R. Smith's Oath of Office at 12:03 a.m. on January 1, 2013, Owens was suspended. Owens was suspended at 7:00 a.m. on that same date upon arriving for duty at the Smith County Central Jail.

The mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead has sparked calls for walkouts, sit-ins and other actions on school campuses nationwide aimed at pushing lawmakers to pass tougher gun laws.

The mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead has sparked calls for walkouts, sit-ins and other actions on school campuses nationwide aimed at pushing lawmakers to pass tougher gun laws.